From Drones, Skill Development To Clean Energy: NASENI Takes Home-Grown Technology To Kaduna

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Nigeria’s industrial ambitions depend not only on developing technology, but also on building the skills to use it, supporting local production and ensuring that innovation delivers practical benefits. Bridging the gap between technological capability and everyday economic needs remains a key development challenge. This challenge framed the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure’s (NASENI) engagement with the Kaduna State Government on Monday, October 19, 2026.

The programme featured the commissioning of a drone training centre, the groundbreaking for a skill development centre, the distribution of clean-energy solutions to households and the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) on technology transfer and local innovation. Together, the initiatives connect aviation, vocational training, household energy and industrial collaboration under one broad objective: turning home-grown technology into economic value.

A major highlight was the commissioning of the NASENI–Caverton Drone Training Centre at the Air Force Institute of Technology in Rigachukun, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The facility is an outcome of the partnership between NASENI and Caverton Helicopters, which established NasCav Technology Limited (NASCAV) to promote indigenous aviation technology and develop Nigeria’s capacity in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations. Established through a 2024 Memorandum of Understanding, the partnership supports capabilities in drone assembly, training and maintenance.

NASENI Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, said the partnership was designed to develop Nigerian aviation expertise. He disclosed that two cohorts of drone pilots had already been trained in Kaduna. Drones have applications in agriculture, infrastructure inspection, mapping, environmental monitoring and emergency response. Their economic value, however, depends on trained operators, maintenance expertise, regulatory compliance and services that meet real needs.

Agriculture offers one such opportunity. Through agricultural drone technology and the SHEFLY initiative, NASCAV supports the use of UAVs for precision farming. Depending on the application, drones can assist with crop monitoring, farm assessment and targeted spraying, potentially improving resource use and farm management. The initiative also seeks to expand rural women’s access to modern agricultural technology.

NASCAV’s longer-term contribution will depend on its ability to sustain training, develop commercially viable services and build local technical capacity in an evolving aviation sector. Alongside the drone centre, the Agency flagged-off construction of its NASENI Skill Development Centre (NSDC) in Rigachukun. The proposed facility is intended to provide practical technical and vocational training relevant to employment, entrepreneurship and self-reliance.

Halilu said the Centre would offer industry-relevant learning and practical experience, helping young people develop skills for work and enterprise. He added that stronger technical capacity could help businesses improve productivity, equipment maintenance and production quality.

Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, welcomed the partnership and said the two facilities would help bridge the gap between young people’s aspirations and limitations by providing practical skills and opportunities for economic advancement. The Centre’s value will depend on the relevance of its training programmes, the quality of instruction, access to suitable equipment and links with employers and businesses.

The engagement also extended to households through NASENI’s Sustainable Empowerment Programme (NSEP). According to the agency’s post-event account, approximately 450 households in Kaduna received NASENI Home Solar Solutions, clean-energy cookstoves and other support items. The intervention brings technology closer to everyday needs.

Depending on system capacity, NASENI Home Solar Solutions can provide electricity for selected domestic uses, while clean-energy cookstoves offer an alternative to traditional cooking methods. The lasting value of the support will depend on whether the equipment meets household needs, remains functional and can be maintained. Product quality, user guidance and access to servicing will therefore matter as much as the initial distribution.

By taking these solutions directly to households, NASENI is extending its technology-development mandate beyond institutions and industrial facilities. Their ultimate impact will be measured by their continued usefulness in people’s daily lives.

The fourth component was the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between NASENI and the Kaduna State Government. It establishes a framework for technology transfer, local capacity building and commercialisation of indigenous innovations across key sectors. Areas of collaboration include agriculture and agro-processing, housing and construction, renewable energy, construction and surveying equipment, technical assistance, technology business development, skills acquisition, research and development.

Under the agreement, NASENI is to provide equipment, technology, technical expertise and training. The Kaduna State Government is to provide land or sites, utilities and approvals, and facilitate access to relevant state agencies. The arrangement creates a basis for combining NASENI’s technical capabilities with the state’s institutions and local priorities. Its significance will ultimately depend on implementation: the projects selected, resources committed, responsibilities fulfilled and technologies successfully transferred or commercialised.

The Kaduna engagements reflect NASENI’s 3Cs—Collaboration, Creation and Commercialisation—which connect technological development with partnerships and practical application. At the event, Halilu acknowledged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s support for NASENI’s contribution to national industrial development and the Renewed Hope Agenda. He also thanked Governor Uba Sani and the Kaduna State Government for their partnership.

The interventions are at different stages. The drone centre has been commissioned, and two cohorts of pilots have been trained; construction of the skill development centre has been flagged off; household energy solutions have been distributed; and the MoA provides a framework for further cooperation. Sustained training, effective use of facilities, equipment maintenance, commercial opportunities and measurable outcomes will be essential.

For Kaduna, the partnership offers a platform for linking technology and skills with productive activity. For NASENI, it is an opportunity to demonstrate how indigenous engineering can support industrial development and address practical needs. Ultimately, the success of the engagement will be reflected not simply in facilities commissioned or agreements signed, but in skills developed, technologies sustained, enterprises supported and tangible benefits for Nigerians.

That is the test of home-grown innovation: whether the country can put technology to work for its people and economy. From aviation training and vocational skills to household energy solutions and technology transfer, NASENI’s engagement with Kaduna State is making impacts and connecting indigenous innovation with economic opportunity and the people using it at the community levels.

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